It is the intent of the
Douglas County Board of Commissioners that any person who drives a vehicle
while performing official County business be qualified to drive under Oregon
Motor Vehicle laws and also have the ability to operate the vehicle in a safe
manner.

The County driver policy
and procedures designed in January 1989 were done to augment the goals of the
county’s self-insured workers’ compensation program and property
damage/liability program as approved by the Risk Management Committee.

The policy includes
operation both personal vehicles or County vehicles while on County business,
applies to volunteers while engaged in official County business, and defines
unacceptable driving record.

The goal of the driver
safety policy is to assure operators of County vehicles have sufficient
knowledge, skill and ability, measured in part through a safe driving history,
to protect themselves, volunteers, the County, clients and the public from an
unsafe driver.

DOUGLAS COUNTY

DRIVER POLICY

POLICY

It is the policy of
Douglas County to ensure all operators of a motor vehicle, while used on
official County business, are qualified to drive and drive safely. This
policy includes both County-owned and privately owned motor vehicles. The
purpose is to determine operators have sufficient knowledge about vehicle
handling, portrayed through a safe driving record, so as to protect employees,
volunteers, the County, clients, and the public from an unsafe driver.

When driving is a
condition of employment, the employment offer will be made contingent upon
satisfactory proof of an acceptable driving history.

No vehicle, while on
County business, shall be operated by an improperly licensed driver or by a
driver with an unacceptable driving record as defined within this policy.

The Human resources
Director shall have responsibility to manage and direct the drive
qualification policy.

SCOPE

County jobs will be
evaluated and a determination made if driving is a condition of employment.
Recruitment announcements for these positions will include a statement
informing applicants that the employment offer will be contingent upon a valid
Oregon Print of driving history report. Supervisors and Department Heads will
review these documents. The Human Resources Director will provide the final
review. Applicants who do not provide required documents will not be
considered for employment or promotion for positions that involve driving.

Current employees
tentatively selected for promotion or transfer from a non-driving to a driving
required job, will also be required to produce the Department of Motor Vehicle
report (Court Print of driving history).

The cost of the
Department of Motor Vehicle report shall be the responsibility of the
applicant or promoted/transferred employee.

PROCEDURES

Applicants.

When a recruitment is
placed with the Human Resources Department, driving as a condition of
employment will be discussed. If required, a statement to this effect will be
on the recruitment announcement. The finalists chosen for interview will be
required to bring to the interview, at their own expense, the above-mentioned
Department of Motor Vehicles report. This document, along with their driver’s
license, will be viewed and discussed at the interview. Applicants from
out-of-state must possess a valid drivers license and be able to obtain a
valid Oregon driver’s license within 30 days of employment with Douglas
County. The driving history will be used to assess the risk the prospective
employee presents as a person whose work duties require a motor vehicle for
Douglas County. The driving history will be reviewed by both the Department
Head and the Human Resources Director.

Any applicant found to
have an unacceptable driving record (see Standards #5) will not be considered
for employment in a position which requires driving.

Reference: Personnel Rule
6.13- Driver Qualification Policy.

Douglas County
Employees.

Any employee who operates
a County vehicle or any vehicle on County business shall possess a valid
Oregon driver’s license must be obtained within 30 days of date of hire. It
is the Department Head’s responsibility to assure the employee receives an
Oregon license within 30 days of hire. The class of license will be
appropriate to the vehicle operated during County employment.

The Human Resources
Director will verify driving records on all new hires for whom driving while
on County business is a job requirement, and will maintain a master list of
all County approved drivers.

At the annual performance
evaluation, or more frequently if determined to be necessary by the Department
Head or the Human Resources Director, driving records will be discussed with
employees whose work duties require operating a motor vehicle. The Validity
of the employee’s Oregon driver’s license will be reviewed as well.

Any County driver found
to have an unacceptable driving record (see Standards #5) may be subject to
appropriate disciplinary action up to and including discharge.

County driver authority
will be given to operators who are required to regularly operate a vehicle on
County business. Operators shall immediately report to their supervisor any
suspensions, restrictions, limitations, revocation or restriction of driver’s
license or any other change in their driving status which violates the
standards. Failure to do so by the next work day following knowledge of any
change may result in disciplinary action including termination.

Volunteers.

This policy shall also
apply to people serving Douglas County in a volunteer capacity. Since these
people are volunteers, the cost of obtaining the driving record will be paid
for by the appropriate department.

Standard for Operation
of Vehicles.

1. All persons
operating a motor vehicle on behalf of Douglas County must have a valid
driver’s license.

2. No authorized
operator shall relinquish to another individual the operation of a County
vehicle unless an emergency exists.

3. Operators
will receive proper instructions from their supervisor or department safety
officer regarding County vehicles and/or equipment before being authorized to
operate them. This will include review of this policy, discussion of
responsibility of the operator, and a test drive.

4. When private
vehicles are used for County business, owners of the private vehicles will
assure to the supervisor that:

a) the vehicle is in operable
mechanical condition, and,

b) the vehicle is insured as required
under Oregon law. Evidence of insurance mustbe provided annually to the department head.

5. Unacceptable driving record within the 12-month period preceding review of
record, is defined as either of the following;

a) being convicted of a major traffic
offense including driving while under the influence of intoxicants,
hit-and-run, reckless driving, fleeing or trying to elude a police officer,
driving while suspended or revoked, or after having been found to be a
habitual offender as defined in ORS 809.600,

1. All operators of
County vehicles, equipment, or any other vehicle on County business will
exercise every reasonable caution and care while operation the vehicle.
Operators will obey all traffic laws, equipment, registration and licensing
requirements applicable to the vehicle being operated.

All heavy equipment operators shall comply with the
applicable portions of regulations governing these activities.

2. All operators
and passengers of vehicles equipped with safety belts are required to wear
safety belts. It will be the responsibility of the operator to see that all
occupants comply.

3.
Possession, use or being under the influence of any narcotic, hallucinogen,
stimulant, sedative or other controlled substance while operating a County
vehicle, or a private vehicle while on County business, is prohibited, except
possession of a controlled substance for law enforcement purposes. If use of
controlled substances or withdrawal symptoms adversely affect a driver’s
physical or mental faculties to any perceptible degree, or the driver tests A
positive for any such substances by screening and confirmation tests, the driver
will be deemed ‘under the influence’ for purpose of this policy. For purposes
of this policy, ‘controlled substances’ shall have the definition stated in ORS
475.005. Violation of this policy is subject to disciplinary action up to and
including termination for the first offense.

4. Operation of a county
vehicle, or a private vehicle while on County business, within four hours of
having consumed alcoholic beverage, while in possession of an open container of
alcoholic beverage or an alcohol hangover adversely affects a driver’s physical
or mental faculties to any perceptible degree or the driver’s blood alcohol
content exceeds .02 percent, the driver will be deemed ‘under the influence’ for
purposes of this policy. County vehicles are not to be used to transport
alcoholic beverages under any circumstances except for law enforcement
purposes. Violation of this policy is subject to disciplinary action up to and
including termination for the first offense.

5. Those persons using
prescription medication which limits of affects their ability to operate a motor
vehicle while on County business must report the use of medication to their
supervisor or department head prior to operation of a vehicle. The supervisor
or department head will determine whether the operator can safely operate the
vehicle based upon the written recommendation of the operator’s doctor.
Questions concerning the safe operation of a vehicle must be referred to the
Human Resources Director for review.

6. Eating while operating
county vehicles or equipment is prohibited. Non-alcoholic beverages may be
consumed while driving, but drivers are warned to exercise caution if beverages
are being consumed while driving.

Traffic Violations or Accidents

3. File State Department of
Motor Vehicle accident report if any personal injury occurred or if property
damage exceeds $1000.

4. Accidents will be
determined to be either chargeable or non-chargeable.

Chargeable is defined by National Safety Council
Criteria as:

a) an accident which results from the
driver’s negligence in which the driver failed to do everything he reasonably
could have done to prevent it,

b) an accident cited as the driver’s
fault by a State, County or City law enforcement officer.

5. If the accident is
non-chargeable and it is the first involvement while on County business, a
record will be made in the employee’s personnel file and the employee will
receive a copy. The procedure is the same for volunteers.

6. If the accident is
non-chargeable but the employee or volunteer had been involved in another County
vehicle accident within the past 12 months, the department head will review the
circumstances of the accidents and take appropriate corrective action.

7. If the accident is
chargeable, the department head will determine appropriate corrective action. A
letter of such action taken will be sent to the employee or volunteer and also
be placed in the personnel file.

8. The Human Resources
Director will be consulted prior to any disciplinary or corrective action.

Corrective Action.

Corrective actions for
violations of this policy should be carried out by the operator’s immediate
supervisor and department head. All corrective actions should be progressive
and consistent on a County-wide basis. The Humans Resources Director will be
consulted prior to any disciplinary or corrective action. The following are
recommendations for corrective action. Nothing in this policy precludes
termination on the first offense where the circumstances warrant it.

1. Minor violations should
be dealt with through training or verbal reprimand for first occurrence.
Subsequent violations should be resolved through application of progressively
severe actions including suspension. Major or repeated violations may result in
termination consistent with applicable personnel rules.

2. Citations. Any operator
action on County business who is cited and forfeits bail or is convicted of a
moving violation may be disciplined in accordance with the policy for the first
offense, with progressively severe discipline in accordance with the policy for
the first offense, with progressively severe discipline for any subsequent bail
forfeitures or convictions. Any operator who receives three moving violations
in any one-year period will be reviewed by the Human Resources Director who may
recommend appropriate action including a suspension of driving for County
business. In cases where driving is a job requirement, this may result in an
inability to do assigned work and, therefore, termination.

3. Accidents. Any operator
involved in a chargeable accident while on County business should be
appropriately disciplined. All incidents reported may be reviewed by the Human
Resources Director with the involved Department Head.

4. Driving Records. The
Human Resources Director may obtain a driving history from the Department of
Motor Vehicles on each operator involved in a chargeable accident. This
information will be reviewed and considered in making recommendations regarding
the continuation of driving privileges while on County business.

5. Any operator convicted
of driving under the influence of any intoxicating substance while on County
business or in a County Vehicle may be subject to termination. Any operator
convicted of driving under the influence of an intoxicating substance shall not
operate a vehicle on the County’s behalf until the individual is in possession
of a valid license of the appropriate class and the case has been reviewed and
continued driving approved by the Human Resources Director.

Reference: Personnel Rule
12 - Disciplinary Actions.

ATTACHMENT TO DRIVER
POLICY

LICENSE TYPES

Oregon issues several classes of licenses and
endorsements. Each class defines what vehicles may be driven.

Class A Commercial-
Any vehicle or any combination of vehicles of any size or weight (except those
requiring special endorsements and except a motorcycle )

-trailer with loaded weight
more than 10,000 pounds

-combined vehicle weight
rating is more than 26,000 pounds

Class B Commercial
- Any single vehicle (without endorsement) with a gross vehicle weight rating of
more than 26,000 pounds, or any such vehicle towing a trailer, if the trailer’s
loaded weight rating is not more than 10,000 pounds

Class B Restricted-
A school bus or school activity vehicle.

Class C Commercial-
Any single vehicle (without endorsements) with a loaded weight not more than
26,000 pounds, or any such vehicle towing a trailer, if the trailer’s loaded
weight rating is not more than 10,000 pounds OR combined weight is not more than
26,000 pounds.

Class C-
A car or any single vehicle, except a motorcycle, designed to carry fewer than
16 passengers, including driver, and which does not weigh more than 26,000
pounds.